10 Things You Didn't Know About Darth Maul
Introduced in the first film of the prequel trilogy, The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul sent fans into a frenzy. With his red and black patterned skin, horns, and extremely scary demeanor, Maul definitely looked like the kind of guy you did not want to meet in a dark alley. On top of all this, he got one of the coolest fight sequences onscreen and debuted the famous double-bladed lightsaber in live-action. Following the release of the film, this was one of the hottest toys you could get your hands on as a kid.
Sadly, he's defeated at the end of the movie, and never seen in the main movie series again. Fans of the franchise have shared their disappointment with this online for years, but thanks to other forms of media, such as the show The Clone Wars, Maul was confirmed to have survived his duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi and actually played quite an important part in the war set between Episode II and Episode III. He eventually got to show up in Solo: A Star Wars Story in a small cameo role. Although not part of the Skywalker saga, he was still involved in the background of it, just doing his own thing. A further role in the show Rebels then confirmed he actually survived well past the events of the prequels and gets to face Kenobi again.
Due to the fact his appearances have mostly been in other forms of media, a lot of fans don't know that much about him. So today, we are going to cover 10 things you didn't know about Darth Maul.
10. His Horns Aren't Specific To Him
Starting our list off is one a few fans, especially those of The Clone Wars, will know and it's regarding his terrifying horns. When we first meet Maul, he is hooded and remains that way until revealing himself to Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, near the end of The Phantom Menace. This is when we get a look at him in all his glory. His skin is black and red, and he has various horns protruding from his head. The image was pretty intense for kids and is what helped make him truly memorable. At the time though, this was such a new look so many fans associated it solely with him. But the horns come from his race - the Zabraks. Maul's look is shared by all the males of his race, with the horns developing more and more, the older they get. The same goes for the markings on his skin.
9. Took His Own Apprentice
As mentioned earlier, during the events of The Clone Wars, we find out Maul survives his apparent death and after some "therapy" vows revenge on Obi-Wan Kenobi, along with those who wronged him. His hatred leads to him taking on an apprentice of his own to take down his enemies. The apprentice he chooses is known other than his brother, Savage Opress. Interestingly, Opress was actually chosen as an apprentice by Count Dooku, so he got the benefit of learning from two deadly Sith Lords. However, Darth Sidious aka Palpatine senses how powerful the two brothers have become and ends up killing Opress. Just goes to show that Palpatine clearly didn't teach his own apprentices anywhere near enough to take him down.
8. Despises Jedi More Than You Know
When Sidious kidnapped Maul as an infant, the Dark Lord raised and trained him to hate the Jedi. He was being groomed to be a Sith, after all. However, what a lot of people don't know is, Sidious didn't just tell him stories to accomplish this. During his training from Sidious, he was forced to inhale the ashes of Sith struck down by the Jedi over the years. This caused Maul to feel the pain of his fallen brethren and only enhanced his hatred toward the Jedi.
7. Comes Up Short In The Screen Time Department
Maul is arguably one of the best characters to be introduced in the prequels, and his legacy has only increased since. He is also one of the most recognizable characters in history, with even non-Star Wars fans able to name him. Despite this, it's been long been suggested that those at Lucasfilm had little faith in character, which is fairly obvious based on the film's theatrical release, as the character appears onscreen for less than 9 minutes of the film's 133 minute total run time. He also has only two lines of dialogue in the film. This actually proved to work in the characters favor, with many fans wanting to see more and more of him. Somewhat inevitably, the character did reappear again years later, giving fans some well-needed closure.
6. His Hatred For Kenobi Kept Him Alive
It's understandable that Maul would carry a deep hatred for Kenobi. He did cut him in half, after all. But his hatred is actually what kept him alive following his defeat. When Maul's brother is sent to look for and return him back to his home planet, Dathomir, we find Maul in a massive junkyard sporting some very creepy robotic spider legs and a completely fractured mind. After spending around a decade alone and probably fighting every day just to keep living, he is not the same person anymore. After his return to Dathomir, his mind and memory are restored, and he is given a new set of mechanical legs making him slightly more normal looking. Despite everything he went through though, he never forgot Kenobi, and his lust for revenge is what sees him through it all, until at last he gets closure.
5. Meets His End At the Hands Of Kenobi (Again)
Thanks to his inclusion in expanded media, Maul ends up being one of the few characters introduced in the prequels to make it past the end of the trilogy. He would actually go on to play a fairly big part in the overall story in the end. After years of waiting, he finally gets to come face to face with his enemy once again.
During the series Rebels, which is set not long before the original trilogy, Maul learns that Obi-Wan is currently hiding on the remote planet Tatooine and goes to find him. Maul finds and confronts Kenobi, and what ensues is one of the most poetic moments throughout the entire franchise. Kenobi, now much older and closer to the Alec Guinness version of the character, brings peace to the character by finishing him off for good. Using his late master's (Qui-Gon Jinn) lightsaber stance, Kenobi tricks Maul into using the same exact move he used on Jinn to attack. Instead of history repeating itself, Kenobi uses this to his advantage and slashes right through Maul's hilt and him. Maul dies peacefully in the hands in the hands of nemesis on the planet where Kenobi technically first saw him.
4. Killed Obi-Wan's Love Interest
Although Maul never could take Obi-Wan down in the end, it doesn't mean he doesn't hurt him severely beforehand. During TCW, we are introduced to the character Duchess Satine, who rules the planet Mandalore. She and Obi-Wan have a history together, and it's made quite clear the two harbor a deep love for each other. Being a Jedi, Obi-Wan's unable to act on his feelings, so the two instead remained close friends.
Following Maul's rebirth, he finds out about Kenobi's secret love for the Duchess, so sets out to take over Mandalore with the sole purpose of making Obi-Wan come to him. Eventually, Obi-Wan does come to Satine's rescue, but is captured and brought before Maul completely defenseless. Instead of just taking Obi-Wan's life and fulfilling his revenge, Maul decides he wants to hurt him instead. So, in one of his most evil moments, he opts to murder Satine right in front of the beaten Jedi. The look on Obi-Wan's face is enough to make anyone shed a tear, and it remains one of the darkest scenes in the franchise.
3. Nearly Had His Own Game
Video games based on the Star Wars franchise have been very hit and miss over the years since the original film. There have been some great ones, some average ones, and some downright stinkers. But did you know there was almost a game focusing entirely on the deadly Dathomirian?
Not long after the Force Unleashed games came out, LucasArts began working on a solo game, titled Star Wars: Darth Maul. It was said to be a single player game with Maul as the lead and look something similar to the Batman: Arkham series. Unfortunately, the idea was later scrapped, but some concept art and trailers were leaked online some years later and suggested fans lost out on what look like and amazing game. Think Fallen Order, but much darker and Maul as the playable character.
Maybe it'll get picked up again someday?
2. Was Almost Played By A Bigger Star
Many fans know Darth Maul was portrayed to perfection by the great Ray Park in The Phantom Menace. Despite the short amount of screen time and dialogue (which wasn't even Park's voice, by the way), Park put his all into bringing the character to life, including learning ballet. However, the role was originally given to actor Benicio Del Toro (Usual Suspects, License to Kill, The Wolfman). Del Toro apparently pulled out during production because George Lucas continually shortened the role and dialogue. Interestingly, Del Toro would later come back to the galaxy far, far away, portraying the character DJ in The Last Jedi.
1. His Mother Was Meant To Be The Apprentice
Finishing our list off today is a fact regarding the events leading to Maul being taken under the wing of Darth Sidious. Maul was the son of Mother Talzin, the leader of the Nightsisters on Dathomir and an extremely powerful, gifted witch. When Maul was only boy, Sidious had promised to teach Talzin the ways of the Dark Side and combine it with her witchcraft. However, when Sidious came across Maul, he felt the boy's unbridled power, so took him as an apprentice instead. This would enrage Talzin and cause a bitter rivalry between her and the Dark Lord. Talzin wished no ill will upon her son and was even the one to mend his broken mind and legs. Much like her son, though, revenge against Sidious would serve to motivate her through the years.
Until next time!